Cover

ABSTRACT

Covers for structures, for example drainage channels or the like, which can be installed into a floor are known, said covers comprising a surface ( 11 ) which can be accessed and driven over and which comprises a flat structure ( 13 ) on a first lower plane and elevations ( 14 ) with top surfaces lying above the flat structure ( 13 ) on a second higher plane. The aim of the invention is to improve the non-slip properties and to achieve a self-cleaning effect This is achieved in that the top surfaces ( 15 ) have an anti-slip surface structure which comprises a plurality of individual elevations. The ratio of the air volume below the individual elevations ( 16 ) to the volume of the individual elevations ( 16 ) is Vv/Vm=(0.01 to 0.5)/(0.001 to 0.05).

The invention relates to a cover of a structure that can be installed inthe ground according to the preamble of Claim 1.

Channels and shafts that are covered by covers are known structures forinstallation in the ground or (in particular) for the drainage ofsurfaces. These covers are partially driven over by motor vehicles; inparticular, however, these are walked over by pedestrians. There is arisk of slipping and thus a risk of injury, in particular when it is wetor contamination has accumulated.

Covers, in particular covering grates, are known in a plurality ofembodiments. Thus, for example, DE 1 853 985 U, DE 20 2006 014 082 U1,DE 89 09 748 U1 or DE 1 876 986 U disclose covering grates that havebeen provided with a surface structure in the form of (wedge-shaped)slots or elevations having a triangular cross-section. In addition,drainage covers according to the preamble of Claim 1 are known, forexample from the German design patent M 9 505 847, which have elevationsthat are supposed to ensure slip resistance.

The known configurations provide only limited anti-slip effect however.In particular when the covers are manufactured out of a plasticmaterial, in particular injection molding, contamination occurs easily,which contributes to an increased risk of accident.

In addition, the known anti-slip structures provide sufficient anti-slipin interior areas, e.g. swimming pools, in which clean water withoutcontamination particles wash over the covering grate. As soon ascontamination particles reach the outer area of the covering gratehowever, the known macro-structures (e.g. these known corrugations) andmicro-structures (grain) become clogged up due to the entry of a mixtureof contamination particles and water, and a sufficient anti-slip effectis no longer possible.

The object of the invention is to provide a cover of the type mentionedabove, such that an increased slip resistance is ensured at the lowestpossible expense.

This object is achieved by a cover according to Claim 1.

This object is achieved, in particular by a cover of a structure thatcan be installed in the ground, in particular a shaft, a point runoff, adrainage channel or similar drainage installation, comprising a surfacethat can be walked over or driven over, having a planar structure in afirst, lower plane, and having elevations with top surfaces of theelevations, which lie in a second, higher plane of the planar structure,in that the top surfaces of the elevations have an anti-slip surfacestructure, which comprise a plurality of individual elevations, whereinthe ratio of the air volume below the individual elevations to thevolume of the individual elevations Vv/Vm, is preferably (0.01 to0.5)/(0.001 to 0.05), preferably (0.02 to 0.2)/(0.002 to 0.01).

The anti-sip structures are thus displaced vertically and upward fromthe actual covering later (the lower plane) so that significantly morecontamination particles are needed to fill the space between theanti-slip structures and neutralize the anti-slip effect.

Thus an essential aspect of the invention is that, even whencontamination particles are introduced into the anti-slip surfacestructure, these can be easily washed away or displaced into the regionsbetween the elevations as a result of people walking on the surface.

The individual elevations preferably have different maximum heights.This ensures that even in the case that contamination particlesaccumulate in the different height ranges of the anti-slip structures,these contamination particles themselves have different heights, and inthis way, themselves exhibit an anti-slip effect.

It is possible that the lower situated planar structure in the first,lower plane has an anti-slip surface structure, which is not as rough asthe anti-slip surface structure of the top surfaces of the elevations.The lower-lying planar structure may have a grain, for example, in orderto achieve a specific visual effect, for example a casting effect, aswell as in order to increase the roughness, and therefore may have theanti-slip characteristics of this planar structure.

The maximum heights are preferably provided within a distribution withina range of Sz=150 μm to 1,500 μm, preferably between 230 μm to 1,000 μm.This rated value (like the rated value in the subsequent description aswell as in the claims) has been obtained from DIN EN ISO 25178. Explicitreference is made to this standard, wherein the measurement methods thatresult in the values described below are likewise described therein.

The distribution of the individual elevations or, respectively, the sizethereof may be uniform. Preferably, however, a distribution will beselected in a random distribution across the surface so that higher andlower individual elevations are also provided within smaller areas.

The individual elevations may be provided in different shapes (whenviewed as a horizontal section). The individual elevations arepreferably designed having a pyramidal shape or truncated pyramidalshape, however.

The maximum depression height of the individual elevations (they arealso referred to as recess heights) is Sv=50 μm to 500 μm, preferably 85μm to 310 μm. Surprisingly, this range has proven to be especiallybeneficial.

The roughness value of the surface structure is preferably Sa=10 μm to200 μm, preferably 15 μm to 90 μm. The elongated appearance ratio(pursuant to DIN EN ISO 25178, also referred to as a developedtransition surface ratio) of the surface structure is preferably Sdr=20to 300%. The surface structure preferably has an apex density of Spd=0.5to 20 mm⁻¹, preferably 1 to 10 mm⁻¹.

Surprisingly, the above-mentioned size ranges have an effect such thaton the one hand, injuries on these apexes rarely occur, and on the otherhand, sufficient slip resistance and “self-cleaning effect” is achieved.

The invention is described in greater detail below on the basis of theFigures. Shown are:

FIG. 1 a top view of a covering grate for a drainage channel,

FIG. 2 a section along the II-II line from FIG. 1 and

FIG. 3 an enlarged detail of region III from FIG. 2.

As can be seen in the Figures, the embodiment of the grate 10 shown herehas a support structure, which has a surface 11 that lies in a first,lower plane. The surface 11 is interrupted by drainage openings 12 andforms a smooth, planar structure 13. Here, the planar structure 13 isequipped with very little surface roughness, for example, such as thatachieved on a surface that is created by means of plastic injectionmolding.

Rod-shaped elevations 14 are provided on this surface 11, the topsurfaces of the elevations 15 of which have the roughness describedabove, which is obtained by corresponding shaping of the injection mold,in particular in the case of injection molding. Here, the top surfacesof the elevations 15 comprise individual elevations 16, which, asindicated in FIG. 3, are created by individual pyramids having differentheights and different apexes.

This shaping ensures that on the one hand, contamination particles thatreach the elevations 14 can be easily rinsed away, and conveyed on thesmooth, planar surface 13. The contamination particles, on the otherhand, are carried away from the smooth planar structure 13 into thedrainage openings 12, so that a kind of “self-cleaning effect” iscreated by the design selected here. Even when walking thereon, theaccumulation of contamination particles as is reduced through the forcesexerted, since these contamination particles are squeezed out over thetop surfaces of the elevations 15 and conveyed on the planar structure13 so that these may ultimately enter the drainage openings 12.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

-   -   10 cover    -   11 surface    -   12 drainage opening    -   13 planar structure    -   14 elevation    -   15 top surface of the elevation    -   16 individual elevation

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A cover of a structure that can be installed in the ground, in particular a shaft, a point runoff, a drainage channel or a similar drainage installation, comprising a surface (11) that can be walked over or driven over, having a planar structure (13) in a first, lower plane and elevations (14) having top surfaces of the elevations (15), which lie in a second, higher plane above the planar structure (13), wherein the top surfaces of the elevations (15) have an anti-slip surface structure, which comprises a plurality of individual elevations (16) and which is rougher than the lower situated planar structure (13), characterized in that the ratio of the air volume below the individual elevations (16) to the volume of the individual elevations (16) is Vv/Vm=(0.01 to 0.5)/(0.001 to 0.05).
 12. The cover according to claim 11, characterized in that the ratio of the air volume below the individual elevations (16) to the volume of the individual elevations (16) is Vv/Vm=(0.02 to 0.2)/(0.002 to 0.01).
 13. The cover according to claim 11, characterized in that the individual elevations (16) have different maximum heights.
 14. The cover according to claim 12, characterized in that the individual elevations (16) have different maximum heights.
 15. The cover according to claim 13, characterized in that the maximum heights are provided in a distribution within a range of Sz=150 μm to 1.500 μm, preferably 230 μm to 1.000 μm.
 16. The cover according to claim 14, characterized in that the maximum heights are provided in a distribution within a range of Sz=150 μm to 1.500 μm, preferably 230 μm to 1.000 μm.
 17. The cover according to claim 15, characterized in that the distribution is a random distribution.
 18. The cover according to claim 16, characterized in that the distribution is a random distribution.
 19. The cover according to claim 17, characterized in that the individual elevations (16) are designed having a pyramidal shape or truncated pyramidal shape.
 20. The cover according to claim 18, characterized in that the individual elevations (16) are designed having a pyramidal shape or truncated pyramidal shape.
 21. The cover according to claim 11, characterized in that the individual elevations (16) are designed having a pyramidal shape or truncated pyramidal shape.
 22. The cover according to claim 19, characterized in that the individual elevations (16) have a maximum depression height of Sv=50 μm to 500 μm, preferably 85 μm to 310 μm.
 23. The cover according to claim 20, characterized in that the individual elevations (16) have a maximum depression height of Sv=50 μm to 500 μm, preferably 85 μm to 310 μm.
 24. The cover according to claim 21, characterized in that the individual elevations (16) have a maximum depression height of Sv=50 μm to 500 μm, preferably 85 μm to 310 μm.
 25. The cover according to claim 22, characterized in that the roughness value of the surface structure is Sa=10 μm to 200 μm, preferably 15 μm to 90 μm.
 26. The cover according to claim 23, characterized in that the roughness value of the surface structure is Sa=10 μm to 200 μm, preferably 15 μm to 90 μm.
 27. The cover according to claim 24, characterized in that the roughness value of the surface structure is Sa=10 μm to 200 μm, preferably 15 μm to 90 μm.
 28. The cover according to claim 11, characterized in that the roughness value of the surface structure is Sa=10 μm to 200 μm, preferably 15 μm to 90 μm.
 29. The cover according to claim 25, characterized in that the elongated appearance ratio of the surface structure is Sdr 10 to 500%, preferably 20 to 300%.
 30. The cover according to claim 26, characterized in that the elongated appearance ratio of the surface structure is Sdr 10 to 500%, preferably 20 to 300%.
 31. The cover according to claim 27, characterized in that the elongated appearance ratio of the surface structure is Sdr 10 to 500%, preferably 20 to 300%.
 32. The cover according to claim 28, characterized in that the elongated appearance ratio of the surface structure is Sdr 10 to 500%, preferably 20 to 300%.
 33. The cover according to claim 11, characterized in that the elongated appearance ratio of the surface structure is Sdr 10 to 500%, preferably 20 to 300%.
 34. The cover according to claim 11, characterized in that the surface structure has an apex density of Spd=0.5 to 20 mm⁻¹, preferably 1 to 10 mm⁻¹. 